Tripod-stand for cameras.



No, 321,052l PATENTED MAY 22, 1906. A. MGLEOD. TRIPOD STAND POR CAMERAS.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 6. 1904.

TmPoD-STAND Fon CAMERAS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 22, 1906.

Application filed September 6,1904. Serial No. 223,458.

To all whom t may con/cern:

Be it known that I, ALEXANDER MCLEOD, a subject of the King of Great Britain and Ireland, and a resident of 1.71 Queen street, Brisbane, in the State of Queensland, Commonwealth of Australia, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Tripod- Stands for Cameras and Such Like Articles, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in tripod-stands for cameras and such like articles, its object being to provide a self-contained tripod-stand in which the head is permanently fixed to the legs and which can be folded up intact, always ready for immediate use, thus dispensing with the separate disk or base-plate upon which the camera rests and avoiding the necessity of connecting the legs or disconnecting same from the head, as required, also avoiding the use of a loose locking-screw.

rlhe invention consists in permanently iiX- ing to the top of the legs a head comprised of a central triangular-shaped metal plate with central hole, to each side of which is hinged a rectangular metal plate pivotally connected to the top of the tripod-legs and which when spread out forms a base of suitable area upon which the camera rests.

Referring to the drawings, which form a part of this specification, Figure l is a' plan view of the under side of the'head with plates spread out, Fig. 2, a top plan of head; Fig. 3, a section through X X, Fig. 2 Fig. 4, an elevation Fig. 5, a part-sectional elevation of modilied arrangement. Fig. 6 is a sectional detail view of the same.

The reference-letters indicate like parts in all 'Iigures A 1s a triangular-shaped plate with central hole, hinged to which are three rectangular plates B, B, and B2, folding over the central plate and meeting together, as shown in dotted lines. A locking-plate C is secured to the triangular plate A by three clips l), t', and t?, stamped out of the triangular plate A and bent over the edge of the locking-plate. c and c are lugs formed integrally with the plate for turning same round, and d, d, and d2 slotted holes adapted to engage with studs e, e, and c2, fixed onto the rectangular plates. A tightening-pin f, with thumb-piece f and slightly-enlarged screwed end, is inserted through the central hole of the locking-plate I and triangular plate and prevented from disengaging with the same by the increased size of the threaded end. This pin passes between the meeting-points of the rectangular plates, provision being made for same by the points being grooved out, as shown in Fig. 3, and screws into the bottom of the camera, rigidly securing the camera to the tripod-head.

It is not necessary that the rectangular plates should bed perfectly upon the central plate, as any little play is taken up by the tightening-pin when screwed into the bottom of the camera.

To fold up the stand, the locking-plate is turned round by the lugs c and d, which releases the studs e, c, and e2, permitting the rectangular plates to fold downward, as shown in Fig. 3.

In the modification illustrated in Figs. 5 and 6 I substitute for the locking-plate three links, of which two only show in the figure at g g, owing to this figure being a sectional view. The links have their lower ends pivo tally connected to projecting lugs on a collar la, rotatably held on the lower part of the pin h by the thumb-piece t, secured to the end of the pin. The upper ends of the links are bent outwardly and connected to lugs g2, se cured centrally on the lower faces of the respective plates B, B-, and B2. The pin 7L has a threaded upper end h', which is designed to screw upwardly through the threaded boss 7' and in the position shown in Fig. 5 projects through the threaded boss in position to be screwed into the camera to hold it to the tripod in the ordinary manner. In this position, however, it will be seen that the pin 72, will be held up, retaining the links g g in the locking position shown. If it be desired to fold up the tripod, the pinhwill be unscrewed to cause its head h to travel down through the threadedboss j and be released therefrom, and while this is being done the platesB B B2 will rock upon pivots B3, by which they are connected to the central plate A, allowing the links g g, &c., to move downwardly and inwardly against the pin: Of course as soon as the threaded head h has passed through the threaded portion of the boss it may move freely downward. 1

Having now described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

A tripod for cameras and the like compris- IOO ing a stationary central plate, rectangular in their extended position on the Central plates for Carrying the tripod-legs hinged to plate.

IO said central plate, said rectangular plates be- In Witness whereof I have hereunto set my ing adapted to extend over the central plate hand in presence of two Witnesses.

When in operative position, a tightening ALEXANDER MCLEOD. screw passing through the central plate to en- Witnesses: gage the camera and means independent of l E. C. ARTHUR HILL,

said screw for holding the rectangular plates l M. E. N. ABELL. 

